Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo
Taraba State Commissioner of Police David Akinremi was attacked by irate youths in Tudun Wada area of Jalingo yesterday morning.
The state’s police public relations officer, ASP David Misal, told newsmen in Jalingo that the commissioner had gone to the area with a team of officers to restore normalcy, following reports of youth unrest, only for the him to be stoned on the head.
Misal, who said the commissioner was rushed to the hospital where he was treated and later discharged, also disclosed that several arrests were made during the fracas.
“Yesterday, some irate youths, armed with deadly weapons, including cutlasses, axes and other objects, started disturbing the peace of residents around Tudun Wada and Gada Boboji areas of Jalingo town. Our men were deployed there and normalcy was restored. However, this morning, we got reports that the boys had come out again in large numbers, brandishing weapons, and the situation was so bad that the CP decided to go there himself with other officers. In the course of addressing the youths to calm them down, he was stoned on the head and was immediately rushed to the hospital where he was treated of his injuries.
“For now, he has been discharged and is resting at home. As we speak, a serious operation is going on there to calm the situation and forestall further breakdown of law and order in the area.”
Misal warned that the command would not sit back and watch people take the law into their hands and unleash mayhem on the populace.
“I can assure you that the command would make sure that normalcy is completely returned in the area and the perpetrators of this crime brought to book. Several arrests have been made already and thorough investigation would be carried out.
“Let me use this opportunity to call on members of the public to always report any suspicious element to the police promptly with great assurance that their identity would be safeguarded. The police in the state operate with the best professional practice and would not tolerate anyone assaulting officers who are making huge sacrifices to ensure the protection of life and property of citizens,” Misal said.
Jalingo has become a city under siege from hoodlums who continue to unleash terror on residents, and street fights have become commonplace, with growing number of indiscriminate attacks on residents. The command has cracked down on criminal gangs and made several arrests in recent times but the situation so far seems to be far from being under control.